Be My Escape
by jmorono18
Summary: Hermione, Harry, and Ron are back for another year at Hogwarts...will friendships form?
1. Be My Escape

**A/N : Hey Everyone! So...please be nice! This is my first born, so expect it to be really bad. Last time I ended it in a really weird spot so, I finished this Chapter so please re-read it! **

**Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter! JK,JK! Yes.. J.K...Rowling owns it! :)**

**Be My Escape**

Mudblood. One word that held so much meaning. _Maybe I really am worthless,_ Hermione thought to herself while looking down at her arm. The word was now a scar, reminding her everyday of what she had suffered through...what she was. Sighing, she climbed her way up the remaining stairs and sat on the floor of the Astronomy Tower, and stared out at the stormy sky. Slowly, rain drops started falling. Unable to contain herself anymore, tears started forming in Hermione's eyes. This year was supposed to be different...the "Redo Year", in more ways than had hoped when they came back to Hogwarts, to redo the year that had been taken over by the war, all prejudiced could be pushed aside.

_I was wrong, of course,_ thought Hermione, still staring at the sky. Rain was now pouring from the storm clouds, while lightning lit up the sky. Thunder was rolling through the Forbidden Forest, continuously. Nothing was quite like a thunderstorm at Hogwarts, where the rain was majestic, terrifying, yet so calming all at the same time. Hermoine loved the rain, it was her escape...from everything. Her head leaned back until it touched the stone wall behind her. As soon as her head touched the wall, the tears started, silently rolling down her cheeks. Crying about it was pointless, yet she couldn't help herself. Malfoy's words had cut like Bellatrix's dagger, when he had said it. " You stupid, filthy little Mudblood!

***Flash Back***

" Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger will be working together today." Professor Slughorn said, as he paired off the "Redo" students for their first potions class of the year, and last class of the day. Hermione inwardly groaned and glanced over at Malfoy, who didn't look any happier. Ron and Harry shot Hermione sympathetic glances, which didn't last very long, since they were paired together not long after. Turning towards the table that Draco now occupied, Hermione slowly made her way over to her seat."

"Can you hurry up? I would like to start sometime during this class period!" Draco hissed while glaring at Hermione. "Sorry!" mumbled Hermione as she set down her bag and made her way to the student cupboard to get the ingredients listed on the board at the front of the classroom. After gathering their ingredients and bringing them back to the table, Malfoy and Hermione started, working silently, but diligently. Soon, they were halfway done, until a distracted Hermione, who was thinking about plans of going to the library afterwards, added the chopped valerian roots to soon. Their potion started to turn a sickly green color instead of storm blue."Granger! What the heck did you do?" Malfoy yelled wide-eyed, bringing Hermione out from her thoughts. "Oh my Godric! I added the roots to early!" Hermione wailed, close to tears, she never did work wrong and was upset.

The potion had started to boil over, and the only thing to do was to vanish it and start over. Since they had worked quickly, they would still be able to restart and finish it. This didn't stop Malfoy from whispering harshly in her face, "You messed up our potion! You stupid little Mudblood!" Hermione jerked back like she had been slapped. Tears started to form in her eyes, and she looked down at her arm. Hermione had pushed up her sleeves when they had began the potion and the word was now visible. Draco looked at her arm also and went wide-eyed again. He had been there. He had see her suffer, and then he went and reminded her of it. "Granger...I-" Malfoy, but she wasn't listening. Images of Bellatrix Lestrange saying these words, "You filthy little mudblood!", while carving it into her arm blurred her vision. Hermione grabbed her bag and books and ran out of the classroom.

*End Flashback*  
Tears were now pouring from Hermione's eyes, in time with the rain. The war hadn't changed him at all, he was still the same stuck-up jerk he was the first time the met him. Mudblood. The word shouldn't hurt anymore, but it did. This had been the first time someone had called her that, with so much hate, since Bellatrix had carved it into her arm. So absorbed in the memory of the potion class, Hermione didn't here someone approaching. "Granger?" Malfoy whispered. Hermione's eyes flew open in alarm. She couldn't pull herself together enough to stop crying...or glare at him. So, she sat staring up at Malfoy with tears rolling down her face until he spoke.

He had been shifting his weight, and looked her really uncomfortable not knowing what to say, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. " I...I'm...I finished the potion!" He finally blurted out. She sat staring at him, then whispered harshly, "That's all you have to say? You finished the potion? I thought maybe after the war, you had changed...a bit. That maybe you had some feelings, but all you have to say is that you finished the potion? The one that I messed up because I was to busy being a stupid little-" "STOP!" Malfoy yelled. Hermione stood up, tears streaming down in anger. "No! I won't stop Draco Malfoy! I won't! I have to live with this on my arm for the rest of my life! So why shouldn't I call myself that! Give me one good reason!" Hermione yelled.

They stood in silence. Hermione's tears had now turned back to sad and confused ones, instead of anger. She sighed, and then walked out onto one of the many terraces of Hogwarts. Letting the water splash her face as she leaned back her head and raised her arms in the air. Malfoy stood staring at her, transfixed, as she escaped the world through the rain. Maybe the weren't so different after all The rain was his escape from the world too. Slowly, he walked out into the rain until he stood next to her. Malfoy took her left arm and held it with his left hand. The word Mudblood, and the Dark Mark were now facing each other. His eyes slowly met hers, brown and gray.

They stood staring at each other once again, until he said, "The Mark was forced upon me.I didn't want to take it. I get judged everyday by what I was. The difference between our scars is how we wear them. My scar shows what I was, what I caused, and what everyone still believes me to be. I wear mine in shame. You wear your scar like a crown, because everyone knows you aren't a Mudblood, and the word doesn't fit you or shape you, you shape the scar. The war changed you, but for the better. You are stress free, free from having to worry about Voldemort killing you at any minute. I still get judge for my scar, where as whoever grouped you with the scar is now dead or in Azakaban. I don't think you are a Mudblood. I was mad at myself for not being able to be like you. You hold your head high, and I duck mine in shame." He paused for a second to breath before adding, " I want that. I want to be proud of myself again. I want people to like me and get to know who I am. I don't want to be grouped with the Deatheaters. I want to escape from the prejudiced. I want to escape from my mindset of Mudbloods, Purebloods and Blood-traitors. I want to think of everyone as equal.

I want to escape. I need to escape. Please help me escape. " The last sentence was a whisper. Tears were now pouring from Malfoy's eyes as he looked down at their arms, which were being hammered with rain. Hermione looked at Draco Malfoy in a new light. She saw how broken, and lost he was. He wants me to be his escape, Hermione thought to herself. He really did need friends, and understanding. She had seen the way people had been treating him the last few days, shoving him into walls, and giving him death glares. The only two who had stuck with him were Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. They all needed an escape. So when Malfoy looked up at her again, Hermione nodded her head and pulled him into a hug. "I'll help you", she whispered. They stood, wrapped in each others arms in the pouring rain, Malfoy sobbing on Hermione's shoulder. He had finally found an escape.

**A/N: So that was it! I hope you liked it! Next Chapter should come in at least to days! IF YOU WANT... I'm not forcing you to...you can review, but I won't yell at you if you don't! Thanks for reading! :)**


	2. Author's Note

**Chapter 2- Friends...?**

**A/N: Please go back and read Chapter 1 again...I updated it and it is a lot longer and a lot better, so please go back and read it, and I will upload the next chapter tonight or something, but if you already read chapter 1, reread because it rocks now! :) So sorry! I know...I hate others notes to. :p**


	3. Chapter 2- Nervous

**Chapter 2- Nervous Conversations**

**A/N: Please go back and read Chapter 1 again...I updated it and it is a lot longer and a lot better, so please go back and reread it. I was going to make Chapter 2 an others not, but I decided not to, because I hate when the others do that to me, so I am going to be nice and give you a chapter.**

**Disclamer: J.K. Rowling owns everything...I wish I did, but I do not!**

Hermione stood facing the Fat Lady's portrait, drenched from head to toe. She had been outside with Malfoy...no...Draco, for at least an hour. They hadn't really talked, but instead had stood out in the pouring rain, Draco hugging the life out of Hermione and sobbing like there was no tomorrow. After awhile, they were clinging to each other for body heat, and decided that it was probably a good idea to head back to their common rooms before dinner. So, now Hermione was standing outside the portrait, debating how to tell her friends that she was now friends with Draco Malfoy. The Draco Malfoy, who not two hours ago had called her a Mudblood, now wanted to be her friend and act civil to her friends. Hermione tried to imagine everyone's reactions. Harry would get overe it after a couple of minutes, and agree that it's best to put the past behing them. Ginny would tell her how great it was that she was friends with the hottest guy in the school.. but not before interigating Malf-Draco, until she knew he was serious about this. Ron..its hard to say what he would end up doing. For one, he could act like Harry, go along with it. For another he could act like the selfish jerk he was when Harry's name flew out of the Goblet of Fire and was selected to be in the Triwizard tournament. Ron might give her the cold shoulder that he did Harry during that brief period of resent between the best friends. Hermione shivered thinking about it...or maybe it was the fact that she was dripping wet. "Albus:, she whispered the password to the Fat Lady, who had been waiting patiently while Hermione had her internal battle. After climbing through the hole, Hermione spotted Ron, Harry, and Ginny sitting on the couch in the corner, pretending to do their homework. In reality, the waiting for Hermione to come back so that they could ask her to do it. They really were hopeless without her. Hermione slowly walked over, with a worried look on her face. How was she supposed to tell them that she had just become friends with the kid who had been bullying them for half of thier lives? " Hey Hermione!" they all greated her. She replied with a half smile, and then sat down on the opposite couch from them. "Are you okay?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione's worried face. "Yeah, I'm fine" Hermione replied, "but I have to tell you guys something, but I don't know how to start this conversation." Ron went pale, and asked in a very worried voice, " You're not breaking up with me are you?" "What?! No I" Hermione started, but was interrupted by Ron, "Because I can change! I promise! I'll stop eating with my mouth open! I'll hang with you in the library! I can even try doing my homework on my own! I'll-". At this point, Hermione went over and covered Ron's mouth with her hand. " I'm not breaking up with you! And if I was, why would I do it in front of Ginny and Harry?" "Oh...yeah..okay!" Ron said, the color returning to his face. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat back down on the opposite couch again. "Plus, you doing your homework by yourself would be a punishment for me because I would have to help you even more!" At this comment, Ron turned bright red, but laughed along with the others. "So anyway, I need to talk to you about what I was going to say before..." Hermione said nervously. Harry had a confused, worried look on his face. Hermione took a deep breath, and built up her courage...this was going to be a long conversation!


	4. Chapter 3-Friends

**Chapter 3- Friends**

**A/N: So this chapter is really really short so I am sorry for that, but I thought interactions with Draco should be in a different chapter, so I had to get this out of the way. This chapter is basically pointless, well, not really, like you should still read it, but like the story could have been fine without it. Chapter four will be absolutely fabulous, so stick around for that...and I think that is it!  
**

Hermione knew that she was dragging this out, and that her friends were getting impatient, but she was to nervous and couldn't help it. This had to be done though, so she needed to just spit it out. "So you guys saw me run out of potions class, right?" Hermione finally said. Ron and Harry looked at each other before saying, "Yeah...?" They didn't really understand what this had to do with what she needed to tell them, seeing that they already knew this. "Well, the reason was because Malfoy was being...well, Malfoy, and it upset me. So I went up to the Astronomy tower to think, and he came up and found me." Hermione took a deep breath, no harm done yet. "So, do we need to go kick his ass or what?" Ron said, thinking that Malfoy must have done something worse after this. "No Ron! I'm not done yet!" Hermione said, a little annoyed, even though she didn't blame Ron, Malfoy was known to be rude. Ron looked taken aback...was Hermione really defending _Malfoy_? "So, anyway, we talked for along time...in the rain, and he said he was sorry for everything that he has ever done to me and that he wanted to be friends with us and he really wants to change. So I agreed to help him and to be his friend. " Hermione rushed the rest out and waited for everyone's reactions. They all just stared at her like she was insane. For at least 3 minutes, nobody spoke. Hermione was really scared that they would be mad her until Harry spoke up. "Well, I'm not going to pretend that Malfoy isn't a prick, but I think Hermione made the right choice. Now that the war is over, we all need to unite and put the past behind us. I mean, these stupid rivalries need to stop. This will be hard since...I mean come on, its Malfoy, but I'm willing to try." Hermione smiled at Harry, he really was a great guy, and if he was in, Ron and Ginny were likely to follow. Ron cleared his throat, " Well, I guess I can try..." He didn't get to finish his sentence because Hermione had jumped up and kissed him. Everyone turned and looked at Ginny expectantly. Ginny shrugged and said, "He's hot!", as if that cleared everything up. Harry look hurt, but Ginny winked at him and said, "But Harry is ten times better than him!" "That went ten times better than I thought it would!" Hermione said, smiling at her friends. Ron sighed and looked over at Hermione, "This doesn't mean I'll be best friends with the ferret, but I'll try to tolerate him, okay?" Hermione rolled her eyes, leave it to Ron to ruin a moment.

**A/N: See, I told you it was kind of pointless, but I felt the need to write it before they get involved with the Slytherins. So...If you want to review, feel free to, but if you don't than don't! :) Thanks for reading, next chapter will be up TODAY! That is a promise! :)**


	5. Chapter 4- Draco Malfoy

Chapter 4- Draco Malfoy

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it has been so long, I lost my motivation, but don't worry, I'm back! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything! :)**

At breakfast the next day, Hermione was nervous to see what Draco would do. She didn't know if he would go back to normal or if he would be nice. Hermione wasnt the only one feeling apprehensive, Harry and Ron looked pretty anxious too. Ginny had gone off to hand with her friends, even though she was Harry's girlfriend, she was quite independent and didn't fee the need to hango on to Harry at every second.

The trio walkedto the Gryffindor table and started grabbing food. While stuffing his mouth full of food, Ron wondered if it was possible for Malfoy to change, or if Hermione was being delusional. Harry, who was sitting opposite Ron and Hermione was watching them in amusement. Harry would never grow tired of seeing their faces and was glad that they all made it through the war.

At that moment, Ron was stuffing his face with a thougtful look, while Hermione was totally spaced out. To get their attention, Harry cleared his throat and whispered to them.."Malfoy's behind you..." Hermione looked up with big eyes and slowly turned around while Ron started choking on his food. Seeing that Draco wasn't even in the Great Hall yet, Hermione turned around and glared at Harry who was smirking amused.

"That's not funny Harry! I don't know how I'm going to act when we talk again! It will be akward and you don't have to make this worse for me!" Hermione hissed at Harry, not amused at all. Harry rolled his eyes, but then stopped short when he realized that Ron was still choking. "You okay mate?" Harry asked as Hermione slapped Ron on the back and cleared his airways. Ron, red in the face, said, "Yeah...fine. But Hermione, don't you have every class with the git-I mean Malfoy?" quickly changing his train of thought, at the look on Hermione's face. "Don't even go there Ronald!" she said, making a face at him.

He coward away from Hermione as Harry smirked in the background. It was entertaining for Harry to watch these to fight like there was no tomorrow. "Hey you guys..." Harry said, cutting Hermione off mid-lecture. "Malfoy really is coming in now..." Harry told them. They all watched as Malfoy came through the Great Hall doors with Pansy and Blaise. He looked a lot better than he did yesterday, Hermione noticed. He seemed more relaxed, and there was a new sort of light in his eyes that no one had ever seen before. He walked over to the Slytherin table, but not before looking at the Gryffindor table and flashing Hermione a sort of shy smile.

It made him look much younger and full of life. Everyone in the Great Hall froze and watched in shock. Hermione Granger had melted Draco Malfoy.

**A/N: So, It was really short, but the next chapter will be extremely long to make up for it, I just felt that I needed to get this out so that my story had some purpose! Have a great day!**


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